Hong Kong's best cheap restaurants

Fine dining certainly has its place, and for those with the time and the cash Hong Kong has plenty of restaurants to stretch both your tastebuds and your wallet. But this is not a city where you need to splash out - Hong Kong has some of the cheapest food in the world. After all, this is the city that is home to the world's cheapest Michelin star restaurant. How cheap is cheap? The Dim Sum starts at less than $5.

But whether you want some Har Gau, or prefer imported New York pizza, below you'll find Hong Kong's five best cheap restaurants.

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Tim Ho Wan

••• Tim Ho Wan

Arguably this is not only the best cheap food in Hong Kong but the best in the world. Since Tim Ho Wan gained its Michelin Star a few years ago this bare bones Dim Sum canteen has enjoyed run away success (they have even opened their doors in New York). The Dim Sum here costs anywhere from HK$15 to HK$30, and you eat well for under HK$50. There are now a couple of branches of Tim Ho Wan in Hong Kong. The only one that is Michelin star approved is the location in Sham Shui Po - expect to queue.

Sun Thai Restaurant

••• Sun Thai restaurant

Hong Kong has some fantastic cheap Thai food, and while Sun Thai isn't the absolute cheapest it does offer good service in swanky surroundings for a pretty cheap price. For Hong Kong this is also a big space and they are used to dealing with both large groups and kids. The food is fantastic, from the red and green curries that you would expect, to locally sourced seafood given a Thai twist. You may need to book at weekends.

Australia Dairy Company

••• 圍棋一級

An absolute Hong Kong institution. Australia Dairy Company offers classic Hong Kong comfort food to locals yearning for the eighties. The fluffy scrambled eggs here have rightly gained a cult following, while macaroni soup and the ham sandwich are two more popular options. Service ranges from poor to Cold War frosty and you should expect to be harried, rushed and tutted at even after you've queued for thirty minutes to get in - still, the food is fantastic.

Shake 'em Buns

••• Shake em'buns Hong Kong

From North Carolina to Hong Kong. This growing chain of burger joints is a labour of love for the North Carolina returned to Hong Kong native. As you'd expect the menu leans heavily on burgers served with fries, milkshakes and other American comfort food. The locations are pretty small, with just a few stools at a bar, while food is cooked in front of you on an open grill.

Paisano's

••• Paisano's

Local interpretations of Italian food are generally not what mama had in mind. Instead, try Paisano's. Serving up pizza by the slice or the 24-inch pie, Paisano's is a genuine NYC import. The family behind the restaurant have been keeping the demanding palates of New Yorkers happy with hot slices of pepperoni since 1982. They now run half a dozen sit down restaurants across Hong Kong, including branches in Tsim Sha Tsui and Central.